This month in our AADMM series is going to focus on client appreciation. Read on to understand how this sometimes overlooked area of business impacts your client satisfaction.

In this season of thanks, a traditional thank you note to your clients shows your appreciation. Click here for some tips to personalize those notes.

In addition to a well written thank you note, click here for some other ways to show appreciation to your clients. https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/11/ways-to-thank-customers.html

Why limit your thanks to this season? Read more about the benefits of showing gratitude to your clients all year.

If you have family member who will be in college for the 2020-21 school year, October 1 st is the start date for submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA is the key to getting financial aid; every student should file because not all financial aid is based on need.

October is a good time to check and, if needed, adjust your 2019 tax withholding. If you’re not withholding enough, you could face an unexpected tax bill or even an underpayment penalty when you file your return. If you’re withholding too much tax, you may be able to take home a larger paycheck instead of waiting for a refund next year. The IRS has an online Tax Withholding Estimator calculator available on the IRS website.

People enrolled in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan can benefit from comparing plans during open enrollment which begins October 15 thand runs through December 7 th. Plans often change premiums, formularies, drug costs, deductibles, and other plan features annually. The plan that was most cost effective for an enrollee in 2019 may not be the best plan for them for 2020.

Those employed by a company that provides benefits often receive reminders in the fall about open season. Open season is an annual period when employees are allowed to make changes to their various benefit plans; it is a good time to look at 2020 costs and think about the health, dental, vision, or other coverage you and your family will need in the coming year.

October is the perfect time to create a budget for Christmas shopping. Planning now can reduce stress during the height of the shopping season. Experts suggest writing down how much you’ll spend on each person and keeping track so you can tweak your plan BEFORE you break the bank!

September is estimated tax time again! If you receive income where there is no withholding (eg. Investment earnings, home business) then you are probably familiar with estimated tax payments. The third payment for tax year 2019 is September 16th (the usual 15th due date falls on a weekend. If you plan using the postal service, it is considered on time if it is postmarked on or before the due date. So, checkbook out or, you can pay online for faster processing.

Have questions? Here’s the scoop, straight from Uncle Sam on filing estimated taxes.

Open enrollment for health benefits is approaching so now is a great time to review your current plan, spending, and see if you have a plan that best meets your needs! A #dailymoneymanager can help you look at your budget and big picture spending.

We are officially midway through the year! This is a great time to pause and review your financial state.

As some jurisdictions celebrate the start of a new fiscal year (July 1-June 30), for their annual budgets, let’s start the new year by reminding everyone that spending less than we make is the primary personal finance goal. Having the ability to do this is the best way to achieve financial freedom.

SPARK JOY WITH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS Think about what makes you happy: Is it the family summer vacation? The idea of owning your dream home? Retiring early? If you aren’t actively planning for any of these things, why not? Maybe it’s time to re-prioritize your goals. The KonMari method stresses focusing your energy on the things that will serve the person you are now and who you hope to become. When applied to your financial goals, you could think of it as finding a balance between spending on what serves you today, but also saving and planning for bigger things in the future. Thanks to Northwestern Mutual for this great tip

If you have lots of debt, consider consolidation. When you consolidate you combine multiple loans into a single debt with one monthly payment. As a result, you take high-interest debt, like credit cards or student loans, and bundle them into a loan that typically carries a lower interest rate. So, not only does debt consolidation simplify your monthly budget it could save you thousands of dollars in interest charges. Need assistance with this? Click here to find a daily money manager near you.

We are officially midway through the year! This is a great time to pause and review your financial state.

As some jurisdictions celebrate the start of a new fiscal year (July 1-June 30), for their annual budgets, let’s start the new year by reminding everyone that spending less than we make is the primary personal finance goal. Having the ability to do this is the best way to achieve financial freedom.

SPARK JOY WITH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS Think about what makes you happy: Is it the family summer vacation? The idea of owning your dream home? Retiring early? If you aren’t actively planning for any of these things, why not? Maybe it’s time to re-prioritize your goals. The KonMari method stresses focusing your energy on the things that will serve the person you are now and who you hope to become. When applied to your financial goals, you could think of it as finding a balance between spending on what serves you today, but also saving and planning for bigger things in the future. Thanks to Northwestern Mutual for this great tip

If you have lots of debt, consider consolidation. When you consolidate you combine multiple loans into a single debt with one monthly payment. As a result, you take high-interest debt, like credit cards or student loans, and bundle them into a loan that typically carries a lower interest rate. So, not only does debt consolidation simplify your monthly budget it could save you thousands of dollars in interest charges. Need assistance with this? Find a daily money manager near you to click HERE.

Before we can truly get into a summer vacation mood, it’s time to pay 2019 2nd quarter estimated taxes to the IRS and to many state governments. Be sure to submit your estimates via mail or online no later than June 15.

School’s out…..now what? Summer vacation can call for additional expenditures for summer camp, day care, summer school, family travel, etc. Have you worked these nonroutine costs into your spending plans for the next few months?

2019 is 50% complete at the end of the month. This offers a great opportunity to review your yearly spending plan. Are you on track? Need to make any adjustments?

Did your child graduate from high school this year, and is headed for post high school education? Now is a good time to look ahead to the fall, and to your plans for supporting their new adventure.

May is a great time to think about updating important information. Have you recently reviewed who you have designated as a beneficiary on your life insurance policies and retirement accounts? Not having the person or persons designated whom you currently wish to benefit can prove to be an unfortunate mistake. Learn more here on the importance of updating beneficiaries. 

There are new financial apps available now that will assist the elderly and come in handy in your DMM work. Full article can be read by WSJ subscribers. 

Other information to update in your personal records (for yourself to have handy and your loved ones) is your insurance information. Buy a new car, add drivers in the family, move homes, get a new Medicare card, sell valuables listed on a personal articles policy? These are all changes that will necessary your updating the insurance information you have compiled. 

The beginning of the month is Money Smart week! A favorite feature on their website is a searchable event database by zip code. What’s happening in your area? How can you promote your business with a presentation next year? Find Events in Your Area

We and our clients all have kids in our lives. What are we doing to begin their financial education. Share these resources as a service to your clients (and friends, family, neighbors)!

We’ve talked about organizing for the April 15 tax filing deadline throughout the series; March is “crunch time”. Missing information must be tracked down and everything should be furnished to your tax preparer as soon as possible.

Many Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts have a March deadline for filing claims from 2018. Recheck your records and contact your FSA administrator if you have questions.

March may also be an ideal time to start making credit card payments more often than just once a month. This practice can even out cash flow, improve your credit score by lowering your credit utilization, and you may even save money on interest depending on how the card issuer calculates finance charges.

Finally, visit Money Smart Week website to learn more about Smart Money Week®, a financial literacy campaign which runs from March 30 to April 6, 2019.

You have probably started getting 1099’s of various types for investments, school tuition, contract work or other such income sources as well as W-2s for those who have an employer. Make sure you look these over and review for any potential discrepancies. If they all look good, put them in that folder or envelope you made last month labeled “For TAXES” along with any tax related statements you have received. If something looks odd or incorrect, now is the time to make contact with that institution to get any corrections made. This will be an ongoing process for the next few weeks, so be diligent with your organization.

First Week of February – If you haven’t already, make contact with your CPA/Tax Preparer. Many will have checklists or at minimum, will want to schedule a time to review what they need. They may also have a first come, first serve list, so now is a good time to reach out. If you prepare your own taxes, this is still the best time to get things organized.

Second Week of February – If you use a bookkeeping software, run any reports and review for accuracy. If you don’t use a software, pull out those statements and other tax related documents and follow up on anything unusual or for anything missing.

End of February – Start thinking about your summer plans. Do you need to put together a budget or make reservations? Start shopping for transportation and accommodations early to get best prices and ensure you aren’t missing out on a deal.

Let’s start the year organized!

• January 1– First day to fund traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and SEP IRAs (for self-employed and small business owners) for the current year
• January 15 – 4th quarter estimated taxes are due!

Revisit your budget (spending plan) or create a new one. January is a great month to assess spending and determine if an adjustment will help you meet your financial goals.